While it’s wonderful to wake up to the chirping of birds outside your bedroom window, waking up to a patio covered in bird poop is a huge hassle. Thankfully there are ways to keep your patio bird-free without having to break the bank. Here’s what you can do:

The Shiny StuffIf it work with your alfresco or patio design aesthetic, consider placing shiny, flashy objects across your backyard. Birds are repelled by flashy strips as the light bothers their eyes You can get bird-repelling flashing tape from most gardening stores, or you can use streamers (the shiny foil ones usually used for parties). Even those disposable aluminum baking pans can be strung up on tree branches. In a pinch, you can make a few yourselves by using strips of aluminum foil.

Foiled AgainIf you know of any specific places around your backyard that you want birds to stay away from, you can use the same trick with aluminum foil to keep them away. Aside from the flashiness bothering their eyes, birds hate having to peck on foil so place a few strips underneath the soil of your plants, or even beneath their leaves.

Birds of PreyYou can also scare off birds by placing dummies of other, bigger birds like owls or hawks. If that’s a little tacky for your taste, consider that you don’t necessarily need to have them as a centerpiece on your yard. They can be placed well out of sight from you and your guests on the roof of your home or so, so long as other birds would be able to spot them to scare them away. It also helps to move your dummy bird around every now and then so they won’t wise up to it and find out that it’s fake. Alternatively you could also use a dummy snake.

The Shiny Stuff Part 2Mirrors can also help keep birds at bay in that they trick birds into thinking that there is already another bird who may have already foraged whatever there is to be had at the location.

Shake and BakeShake off birds that hang out on your eaves and rafters by placing baking soda where they usually perch.

While having a well-designed Perth alfresco is always a great thing for your home, it’s also equally important that you take good care of it. Keeping birds away is one way to protect your home investment, keeping your backyard looking great.